Inflatable piece of furniture

ABSTRACT

Inflatable piece of furniture comprising several gastight independent and separately dilatable elements, interconnected by means of a removable attachment device the support of which is disposed on said elements. Each element is formed of a flexible bag divided into compartments by inner membranes substantially of rectangular shape and secured inside the bag on two opposite longitudinal sides, the small sides of said membranes being free. The removable attachment device is an open ring, a strip-stud assembly, a bolt, clip or a T-shaped hook locked by a quarter turn rotation.

United States Patent Nguyen Manh Khanh 20, rue Leverrier, Paris, Seine, France 21 Appl. No. 774,808

[22] Filed Nov. 12, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 30, 1971 [32] Priority Nov. 15, 1967,0ct. 28, 1968 [33] France [31] 128,215 and 170,951

[72] Inventor [54] INFLATABLE PIECE OF FURNITURE 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 297/456, 5/348 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 27/08, A47c 27/18 [50] Field ofSearch 5/337,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,467,315 4/1949 Jones 24/218X 2,933,831 4/1960 LeCompte 24/208BX 3,220,077 11/1965 Newcomer,.lr. et al. 24/221 3,265,438 8/1966 Regan et a1. 297/456X 3,408,107 10/1968 Savage 297/456 3,419,309 12/1968 Smith 5/348X 3,420,574 l/l969 Smith 297/456 3,473,188 10/1969 Wheway 16/128 Primary ExaminerKasmir A. Nunberg Att0rneyl(arl F. F locks ABSTRACT: Inflatable piece of furniture comprising several gastight independent and separately dilatable elements, interconnected by means of a removable attachment device the support of which is disposed on said elements. Each element is formed of a flexible bag divided into compartments by inner membranes substantially of rectangular shape and secured inside the bag on two opposite longitudinal sides, the small sides of said membranes being free. The removable attachment device is an open ring, a strip-stud assembly, a bolt, clip or a T- shaped hook locked by a quarter turn rotation PATENTEU maolsn 3572.836

duh. k3 Foam;

INFLATABLE PIECE OF FURNITURE The present invention concerns an inflatable piece of furniture, and more particularly inflatable pieces of furniture com prising several elements assembled together by a removable attachment device.

Inflatable seats are known but the particularly complicated shape prescribed by their use, an armchair for example, imposes costly constraints on the manufacturer which considerably slows down the rate of series production:

Moreover, inflatable units are to a high degree fragile and subject to punctures. A mere local weakness sutiices to put the whole unit out of use.

The present invention therefore concerns an inflatable piece of furniture comprising independent elements, connected by removable attachments, in which the disadvantages of the prior art are eliminated, the manufacture, upkeep and repair of said furniture being thus greatly improved.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating diagrammatically and merely by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the said drawing:

FIG. I shows back view of an inflatable armchair according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section along lI-II of FIG. I and FIG. 3, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6 and 7 show detail views of removable attachment devices.

Referring to FIG. 1, an inflatable piece of furniture 10 according to the invention is composed of a base 1 forming a seat, of two elbow-rests 2 and of a back 3. These elements are manufactured separately, are inflated individually and are interconnected by rings 12.

Each element comprises a bag 9 of gastight flexible material and is reinforced inside by membranes 4, 5 and 6. It will be seen that the membrane 6 seen lengthwise in FIG. 1 does not join up with the bag 9 on the small sides of the back. In fact, as will be seen in FIG. 2 in the case of the membrane 4, each sub stantially rectangular membrane is made integral with the bag, by welding or gluing for example, along its two longitudinal sides 13 and 14 and is free on its two other small sides 15 and 16. It will be seen that the free sides have a characteristic concave shape constituted by a practically straight central region and two circular ends of radius r. This arrangement has for effect to distribute over a wide area the stresses at the beginning of the weld of the sides 14 and 13 and to prevent tearing at 7 by one end should an abnormal strain occur locally.

It will be seen that the membranes 4 maintain for example the surfaces x-y and x'-y of the seat along two substantially parallel planes while permitting the seat to crumple freely in the curved regions 16 and 17.

Referring to FIG. 3, the assembly of the elements 1, 2 and 3 is realized by means of the rings 12 through the agency of a circular patch 8 welded at the suitable positions by the annular peripheral region 18. Two reinforced orifices 11 are provided on said patch, and since the passage is free in the central region of the patch between the orifices 11, the open ring 12 may be engaged at will in the two orifices 11 of a patch 8 integral with the element 1, then in the two orifices of another patch 8' of the element 2, and the ring finally closed. A new assembly according to the invention is thus realized. If need be, for repairs for example, the assembly is detachable.

Referring to FIG. 4a to 7, other assembly devices may be realized according to the invention.

Referring to FIG. 4a and 4b, a strip on a hachured part 19 is welded to the inflatable element 1. The part 20 of the strip which remains free comprises a stud 21. This stud 21 is secured to the part 20 by riveting or is integral with the strip should the whole unit be made of plastic material, manufactured according to the injection method.

To the element 2 is welded a strip on the hachured part 19'. The free part 20 comprises a reinforced slot 22. The connec tion between the elements 1 and 2 will thus be effected by enga ement of the stud 21 through the slot 22.

efemng to FIG. 5a and 5b, the upper part of the attachment device is welded through its base 23 to the inflatable element 1; it further comprises a support consisting of two parallel faces 24 each pierced with an orifice 25, centered on the same axis. The lower part is welded through its base 23 to the inflatable element 2 and comprises a support 26 traversed by an orifice 27. The connection of the elements 1 and 2 is effected by bringing the support 26 inside the support 24, the orifices 25 and 27 being opposite each other. The attachment is effected by a threaded rod 28 held at its end by a nut 29. The washers 30 and 31 serve as intermediaries and prevent loosening.

Referring to FIG. 6, the threaded! rod assembly may be replaced by the following assembly: a spindle 32 comprises at one end a flat arresting part 33 of larger diameter and at the other end a groove 34. The other assembly element is a cylindrical surface 35 partly closed at its two bases; the front base opposite to the element 32 is provided with an orifice 36 of the same diameter. Inside the cylinder 35 a thin spring 37 bears on the edges of the cylinder 35 and slightly overlaps, symmetrically, the orifice 36; the other base of the cylinder is entirely or partly closed so as to prevent displacement of the spring 37. When the two parts are brought together, the spindle 32 penetrates into the orifice 36 and parts the spring 37 until the latter engages in the groove 34 and holds the two elements together. Displacement of the inflatable elements 1 and 2, perpendicularly to the axes of the rods 28 or 32, is thus prevented.

Referring to FIG. 7, the upper part 38 comprises in its center a T-shaped support 39, the lower part 40 comprises a cylindrical support 41 closed on its upper base 42. This base 42 is provided with a slot 43 the size of which is the same as that of the legs of the support 39. The connection of the two elements is effected by wholly engaging the part 39 through the slot 43: by rotating through one of the elements relative to the other, the two legs of the T are locked by the base 42. A notch 44 in the lower part of the base 42, having the same dimension as the two legs of the support 39, is provided in order to prevent rotation of the two assembly elements.

Iclaim:

1. An inflatable piece of furniture comprising at least two gastight independent and separately dilatable elements, interconnected by means of a removable attachment device the support of which is disposed on said elements, each element being formed of a flexible bag divided into compartments by at least one inner membrane, substantially of rectangular shape and secured inside the bag on two opposite longitudinal sides, the small sides of said membrane being free and their periphery including a straight central region and two circular concave sections at the ends, said removable attachment device including an assembly patch welded over its entire periphery to the assembly positions on the external surface of said bags of said independent elements.

2. An inflatable piece of furniture according to claim 1 wherein said removable attachment device is further constituted by an open ring slid into two adjacent openings disposed inside said assembly patch.

3. An inflatable piece of furniture according to claim I in which the removable attachment device comprises, on the one hand, a support comprising a T-shaped hook fixed on the external surface of one element and, on the other hand, a complementary member fixed on the external surface of another element and in which engages the above hook which is locked by a quarter turn rotation, said complementary member having a chamber with a surface restricting the entry of said hook to less than the depth of said chamber.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION March 30, 1971 Patent No. 3 572 ,836 D t d Inventor(s) Nguyen Manh Khanh It is certified that error appears in the above-identified pate and that said Letters Patent; are hereby corrected as shown below:

In column 1, line 6 the claim for priority should re as follows:

Priority Nov. 15, 1967 Oct. 23, 1968 Signed and sealed this 7th day of September 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER JR. Attesting Officer ROBERT GOTT$CHALK Actlng Commlssloner of Pa 

1. An inflatable piece of furniture comprising at least two gastight independent and separately dilatable elements, interconnected by mEans of a removable attachment device the support of which is disposed on said elements, each element being formed of a flexible bag divided into compartments by at least one inner membrane, substantially of rectangular shape and secured inside the bag on two opposite longitudinal sides, the small sides of said membrane being free and their periphery including a straight central region and two circular concave sections at the ends, said removable attachment device including an assembly patch welded over its entire periphery to the assembly positions on the external surface of said bags of said independent elements.
 2. An inflatable piece of furniture according to claim 1 wherein said removable attachment device is further constituted by an open ring slid into two adjacent openings disposed inside said assembly patch.
 3. An inflatable piece of furniture according to claim 1 in which the removable attachment device comprises, on the one hand, a support comprising a T-shaped hook fixed on the external surface of one element and, on the other hand, a complementary member fixed on the external surface of another element and in which engages the above hook which is locked by a quarter turn rotation, said complementary member having a chamber with a surface restricting the entry of said hook to less than the depth of said chamber. 